Replies

1. 
   isleter | Jul 13, 1999 07:26pm | #1

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   I saw this Canadian product called Delta-FL at the Vegas Con/Agg show in March, it can be attached on the inside or outside of the wall, it works as a barrier and let the accumulated water run through the voids, the product is also featured in the July issue of the Popular Science pp.46, check it out.

2. 
   Guest_ | Jul 14, 1999 02:21am | #2

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   I don't have a good answer, but I can tell you you are right to be concerned about moisture. We put a piece of vinyl, about 12 feet square, just lying loose over a portion of our basement floor, and a few months later I lifted it up and the under-side was simply dripping with moisture. The areas not covered were dry, telling me that the moisture coming through was able to evaporate fast enough to keep up with the infiltration. Incidentally, the entire floor had been painted (I forget what kind of paint, but I think it was a latex-based concrete paint), so that doesn't slow down the infiltration.

   Unless you are really in a high & dry location, you should probably choose a floor material that can breathe, otherwise you will have no end of mold & mildew going on under there.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jul 14, 1999 02:36am | #3

   *Dear Cate,Have you tested the concrete floor for moisture? This is done by taping a 12" by 12" poly plastic done on your floor with duct tape. Leave 24 hours and if moisture beads form underneath the plastic, you have a moisture problem that was caused by either not installing a vapour barrier or not installing it properly.If you do not have a moisture problem from the concrete, then the tiles are fine on the bare concrete. If you do have a moisture problem, then you should consider some type of floating floor installed over a 6 mil poly.Otherwise, as you have indicated, it is a very expensive and labour intensive job to add pressure treated sleepers over a poly sheet and then installing 5/8 plywood over that.You may want to consider spraying the slab with a foundation waterproofing and then installing the sleepers.Sorry I couldn't be any more helpful,Gabe

3. 
   Dave_Mallas | Jul 14, 1999 07:11am | #4

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   You did not say if you are laling vinyl squares or a one piece sheet. Either way there is a chance for moisture to ruin everything. Avoid that by putting in ceramic tile. Ceramic tiles, mortered on to the concrete slab will become one. Moisture will wick out the same as a bare slab. You did say that you owned the house so you don't want to cut corners I assume. In fact , Ceramic tile can cost less than other floor coverings. Certainly less than sleepers, insulation,plywood then yinyl. No I'm not a ceramic salesman. Just an installer who has seen it all.

4. 
   Cate_Drinan | Jul 14, 1999 07:18am | #5

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   Hi, this is my first time on Breaktime, and I have a question I wonder if folks would be willing to help me with. My husband is remodeling a basement here in damp Portland, OR, and wants to lay vinyl for the floor. His inclination is to put pressure treated AC plywood down first, but is concerned about moisture. He has been told he can rest the plywood on sleepers, but this will raise the floor and so cause other complications, and we don't know if that will help, or if the plywood might stain the vinyl from underneath. What's the best way to maintain waterproofness and get the best adherence? Any advice?
   Thanks,
   Cate Drinan & Steve Kass

5. 
   Guest_ | Jul 14, 1999 07:18am | #6

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   Hi Cate, Jay again.

   I would hesitate to put down a poly barrier then put anything on top of it because the moisture will still come through from below and then just lie there and go rancid like it did under our piece of sheet vinyl.

   Maybe the answer is to go for ceramic tiles.

   Jay